Ignition distributor



g- 4, 1942 J. J. ROSE IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR Filed Jan. 31, 1942 2Sheets-Sheet 1 k k w j a M vs 7 $5. a r ny 9 .R/ fl/34 2 5 5 N 0 v W A 9a 7 d 5 MM m 2 2 3 Ma 0 Mm n IA\ fimm v ,a U Q, 5 m h a 9 2m w 8 1 n 7Ill. 8 4w l R My 5 m 65 MC A Fla.

Aug. 4, 1942. J ROSE IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan.31, 1942 Patented Aug. 4, 1942 2,291,652 IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR John J.Ros,'Dayton, Ohio Application January 31, 1942, Serial No. 429,069

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) 15 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manu-' factured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in ignition distributorsparticularly adapted for use in airplane engine ignition systems toovercome difficulties heretofore encountered in high altitude flying.

Much trouble has been experienced with ignition systems on aircraft whenflown at high altitudes due to the fact that in the rarefied atmospherethe flash over voltage to ground of the high tension portions of theignition system is greatly reduced and giving rise to power plantfailure. The source of most of the trouble is located in the distributorand various proposals have been made in the prior art for preventingflash over in the distributor such as maintaining the interior of thedistributor at atmospheric pressure irrespective of the pressure of theoutside atmosphere by connecting the distributor to a source of airunder pressure such as an air tank, or to a pump driven by thedistributor drive, and in the case of supercharged engines connectingthe distributor housing to the pressure side of the supercharger blower.The above proposals while fairly satisfactory give rise to thedifliculty that in order to maintain pressure within the distributorhousing any discharge of air therefrom must be highly restricted whichmakes it diflicult or practically impossible to properly ventilate thedistributor housing to eliminate ozone and nitric acid fumes whichquickly corrode and pit the contacts and bearings of the distributor.

It further has been proposed to fill the distributor housing withtransformer or similar oil which, however, being churned up with airrapidly oxidizes and forms organic acids which attack metal. Further,such a solution of the problem is limited to a distributor in which thecontact on the distributor rotor wipingly engages the sta+ tionarydistributor contacts.

The ideal solution of the flash over problem would be to hermeticallyseal the distributor housing, which would ordinarily require the use ofa rotary shaft seal on the driving shaft, which type of seal isunreliable over any extended period of time and would require frequentinspection and servicing. The present invention employs such ahermetically sealed distributor, but obviates the difliculty of sealinga rotary driving shaft by drivingly connecting the distributor rotor tothe driving shaft by a power transmission which does not employ a shaftrotating about its own axis and hence requires no rotary shaft seal. Oneform of the. invention employs a magnetic coupling for the powertransmission, a second form of the invention employs an electrical powertransmission in which the distributor rotor is driven by aself-synchronous receiver located within the sealed distributor rotorchamber and electrically connected to a corresponding selfsynchronoustransmitter unit located exterior of the sealed rotor chamber, and in athird form of the invention a mechanical transmission is employed ofsuch a character that no shaft rotating about its own axis passesthrough the distributor casing walls, hence eliminating the use ofrotary shaft sealing means.

- It is thus seen that the invention is characterized by the fact thatthe distributor rotor is mounted in a hermetically sealed chamber anddrivingly connected to a driving shaft or other driving means locatedexterior of the sealed chamber by a power transmission means which Iprefer to define as a shaftless power transmission, i. e. a powertransmission which does not require the use of a shaft rotatable aboutits own axis to pierce the walls of the sealed chamber and hencerequires no rotary shaft sealing means to seal the chamber againstleakage and it is understood that the term shaftless power transmissiondevice or similar expression as hereinafter employed in thespecification and claims also embraces magnetic, electrical andmechanical power transmitting means provided that they do not requirethe use of a rotary transmission shaft and shaft seal to transmit drivefrom a driving means to the distributor rotor.

A further feature of the invention is the fact that the hermeticallysealed distributor rotor chamber may be filled with a gas, for examplenitrogen, so as to produce a neutral atmosphere within the rotor chamberso as to eliminate the formation of corrosive gases due to electricaldischarge.

, It is therefore the principal object of the invention to provide ahigh tension ignition distributor for internal combustion engines inwhich the distributor rotor chamber is hermetically sealed fromcommunication with the outside atmosphere, the distributor rotor beingfreely rotatably mounted within the chamber and being driven from ashaft external of the said chamber through a force transmission meanswhich does not require a rotary shaft packing seal and the forcetransmitting means being of the magnetic, electric, or mechanical type.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a hermetically sealeddistributor of the character described in which the distributor rotorchamber may be filled with a gas at or above atmospheric pressure toprovide a neutral atmosphere within the chamber which will not decomposein the presence of an electrical discharge.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to thedetailed description of the invention hereinafter given and to theappended drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating a form ofthe invention employing a magnetic drive for coupling the distributorrotor to a driving shaft.

Figure 2 is a view illustrating details of a pressure seal employed inthe device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to FigureL'illustrating a. modifled form ofthe invention employing a self-synchronous electrical transmission fortransmitting rotation from the distributor drivingshaft to thedistributor rotor, and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, illustrating a further modifiedform of the invention employing a mechanical transmission for drivingthe distributor rotor.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the reference numeral I generally indicates adistributor for distributing high tension electric currents as employedin automotive or aircraft ignition systems. The distributor I isconstructed with housing elements so arranged as to form a hermeticallysealed distributor chamber, indicated by the reference numeral 2. Theupper portion of the distributor casing I is preferably made in the formof a metal casting and is surrounded on its exterior surfaces by asuitable insulating material, such as Bakelite or other synthetic resinswhich may be moulded around the casing in the desired form. Theinsulating material 4 is mounted to provide a plurality of bosses 5,equal in number to the number of engine spark plugs to be supplied withignition current and each boss having a tapered aperture 6 into which aspark plug cable terminal may be inserted and retained by the metalcontact I which is electrically bonded to a central electrode 8 whichextends into the sealed distributor chamber 2. The electrode 8 ispreferably centrally positioned in a glass or ceramic core 8 which isfused or otherwise sealed onto the electrode 8 and in turn is sealedinto a sleeve It made, for example, from Fernico or other iron cobaltnickel alloy, well known in the radio tube industry for use in makingvacuum seals. The sleeve I is adapted to be soldered or brazed to theinner walls of the casing portion 3 and similarly sealed to a flangedextension I l of the casing 3, this assembly permanently sealing theelectrode 8 from any leakage therealong into.

or from the sealed chamber 2 to the outside atmosphere. A central bossI! is provided of exactly similar construction to the spark plugterminal mounting bosses l and provided with a tapered opening ll toreceive the high tension current conductor which may be connected to thehigh tension output terminal or a magneto or other source of current,the cable terminal being retained by the fltting I, which conducts thecurrent through a central electrode II which is sealing'ly retained in aglass or equivalent insulator It which, in turn, is sealed to a Fernicosleeve II in exactly the same manner as described above with referenceto the electrode 8. The central electrode II is adapted to conduct hightension current across a short spark gap to an electrode 2,2a1,esa

which has a distributor electrode 20 arranged at its outer end andadapted to transmit high tension current across a spark gap to therespective electrodes I. Electrodes II and II and conductor 18 form thewell known distributor rotor and are mounted on a suitable distributorrotor head 2| made of insulating material and provided with acounterbored portion 22 which is adapted to be placed over the outerrace of a double row sealed ballbearingltthelatterhavingitsinnerracemounted on a spindle 24 which is suitably secured in a boss II, formingpart of the bottom distributor housing portion 2. It is thus seen thatthe distributor rotor is freely rotatably mounted within the sealeddistributor chamber 2.

The distributor housing portions 8 and 28 are separable one from theother and adapted to be joined by a pressure tight seal between thecorresponding mating flanges 1a and 21 respectively thereof, the flangesbeing secured by suitable removable screws 30. The sealing means shownalsoindetail inFig.2,comprisesaflangedextension lb onthecasingiwhichisadaptedtocompressasoftmetalsealingring 2O intosealingengagementwith a groove 28 cut in the flange ll of the bottom housing portion 28of the distributor, thistypeofpressuresealbeingalsoperseweli known inthe high vacuum art.

The housing portion 26 is also provided'with an extension flangedportion II which is adapted to telescope into the housing portion 3 torelieve the pressure seal from any transverse shearing forces and theflanged extension Ii is provided withsmallportsflwhicharesoarrangedthatthecssingelementsmaybepartlyassembled, (asillustrated in Fig.2) and placedin a compartment through which the hands of an operator may be insertedand shielded by rubber gloves or the like to prevent leakage from thecompartment, the assembly chamber then being fllled with nitrogen orother suitable gas which will give a neutral atmosphere within thedistributor rotor cham- ,berlandtheassemblycompietedbytightening screwsll, which will then seal the gas within the chamber 2.

The distributor rotor hub Ii is provided withashoulderilwhichservesasasupportforasoft iron armature II having twopoles I as shown and secured to the hub flange 38 by screws 31. Externalof the distributor housing portion 28 there is arranged a two-pole highcoercive strength bar magnet 38 suitably mounted on theendofadrivingshaftlbwhichmaybeconnected to the engine or other suitabledistributor driving means and the magnet 38 being provided with suitablesoft iron pole shou I! which overlie the casing element 28, directlyabove the pole shoes 38 of the armature ll.

' Operation In operation the distribu tor driveinthedistributorrotorchamberlbythewell known magnetic coupling actionwhich. in turn. causes rotation of the distributor rotorbody IIwhichcaueestheelectrodeiltobeangularly with nitrogen, or other suitablegas under slight pressure, no oxygen will be present in the distributorrotor chamber and all pitting and corrosion of the distributor partswill thereby be prevented and further, since by the above distributorconstruction the distributor rotor chamber 2 is hermetically sealed withrespect to the outside atmosphere, changes in the external atmosphericpressure can in no way change the flash over voltage to ground withinthe distributor rotor chamber, thus rendering the distributor entirelyfree from the effects of altitude on its operation.

With respect to the" distributor illustrated in Fig. 1, it is to beunderstood that the construction there illustrated could be readilyachieved by using pressed glass for the casing portions and mounting theinput and output electrodes directly into the housing portion 3 a ndproviding a permanent seal between the housing portions as is nowreadily accomplished in the glass art, for example, in the manufactureof the well known sealed .beam headlights, widely used for automobiles,and further it is to be understood that other forms of magneticcouplings than that illustrated in the figure may be employed.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is disclosed therein a distributorconstructed in its essential details so far as the housing portions,-input and output electrodes and distributor rotor, in the same manner asthe distributor above described with-reference to Fig, 1 and differstherefrom in that the distributor rotor body portion 2! is securedon theouter end of a shaft 42, which shaft is connected to the rotor of a wellknown type of self-synchronous electrical motion transmitting means 43,well known in the art by the trade names of Selsyn and Autosyn; Thecasing of the self-synchronous receiver 43 is mounted by means of aflanged extension 44 thereof onto an inwardly projectingflange 45,0f thecasing 26a.

' v The receiver 43 is provided with electrical terthe casing 28a tohermetically seal the electrical connections against leakage fromwithinthe dis- I tributor rotor chamber 2 to the outside atmosphere. Theelectrical terminals 46 and 41 of the receiver are electricallyconnected to the corresponding' terminals of a self-synchronoustransmitter unit 52 mounted in casing 261': below the may be connectedto a suitable drive from the engine. 7

The distributor of Fig. 3 may be filled with nitrogen or other suitablegas to form a neutral atmosphere within the distributor rotor chamber 2in the same manner as prev ousl esc bed with respect to the device ofFig. 1 and in operation the rotation of shaft 56 causes rotation 01' therotor of the self-synchronous transmitter unit 52, which in turn willcause rotation of the rotor of the receiver unit 43 in phase therewithso that the distributor rotor elements l8 to 2| inclusive will berotated in phase with the driving shaft 58 and cause a properdistribution of the high tension current from the input electrode [5 tothe respective output electrodes 8 in the same manner as-in the deviceof Fig. 1. The device of Fig. 3 has the same advantages with respect tofreedom from corrosive fumes and from the effects of change inatmospheric pressure external of the distributor as the device of Fig.1.

In Fig; 4 there is disclosed-a third former the invention which withrespect to the housing portions, input and output electrodes anddistributor rotor is similar in construction to that above describedwith respect to Fig. 1 and this modification differs from the deviceillustrated in Fig. l in that the distributor rotor body 2| is mountedon the outer end of a spindle 60 which is freely rotatably mounted in adouble row ball bearing 62 which is sealed against lubricant leakage atits upper end. The bearing 62 is mounted in an annular flange 63centrally located and integrally formed with a mounting disc 64 which issecured by means of screws or the like to a flange 65 formed integralwith the lower casing portion 26b. The mounting disc 64 defines apartial wall inclosing achamber 66 in the lower portion of the casing26b which may serve as a reservoir for lubricant to supply the bearing62 and other rotating parts. The spindle 60 is provided on its outer endwith a crank disc 61 which may be splined or otherwise rigidly securedto the spindle and provided with a hemispherical bearing seat 68 whichserves as a seat for the ball end 69 of an inclined crank or motiontransmitting rod ID, the latter being provided with an enlargedspherical portion 12 intermediate its ends which is supported in ahemispherical bearing seat 13 formed in thecasing 26?) and retained by aclamping ring I4, the bearing elements 13 and 14 allowing a freeoscillatory movement of the crank 10. The crank or power transmittingrod 10 is provided at its lower end with a ball 15 which is adapted toseat in a hemispherical bearing 16 provided in a crank disc 11, which ismounted on the upper end of a driving shaft 18, the latter beingjournalled in a sealed double row ball bearing 19 pressed into the lowerportion of a housing 80, which is secured by screws or the like to thecasing 26b. The interior of the,

housing 80 forms a chamber Bl adapted to serve as a reservoir for alubricant which will be distributed by splashing due to the rotatingparts. The'casing 26b is provided with an inwardly directed annularflange 82 to which is soldered or brazed a flexible, seamless, metalbellows 83 which, in turn, is soldered or brazed to an annular washer 84formed integral with the upper end of the power transmitting crank orrod 10. The bellows 83 serves to seal the distributor chamber 2 and hubchamber 66 against any leakage to the outside atmosphere.

In the deviceof Fig. 4 the rotation of the driving shaft 18., causesrotation of the crank disc 11 which will cause an oscillatory movementof the outer end of the crank or power transmission rod 10 and which, inturn, will cause a similar '-movement of the upper end of the powertransmitting rod which will cause rotation of thecrankdiscl'landrotatingthe whichthehermeticallysealedchamberisfilleddistributorrotorbody2|."1hemotion ofthewithagasforminganeutralatmospherewithintransmitflngrodllissuchfliatwhileeacho thechamber.itsendsrotatethereisnorotationofflietrans-6.Thestructureasclaimedinclaim4,in mittingrod'llaboutitsownaxissothatthe5 which atleastcneofthemagnetic couplingflexiblebellowsllaresubjectedtoanutating elemenisisatmagnet.

rotcr,withouttheuseofarotaryshaftseal. This type of mechanical M is perse notnewintheartbutservesinanadmirable fashion to solve theproblemvfaced by the applicant of providing a hermetically sealeddktributor. Withrespect to its operation, the distributor of Fig. 4,with the exception of the difference in the manner of transmittingrotation to the distributor rotor is otherwise identical with thedevices of Figs. 1 and 3 above described.

WithrespecttothedeviceofFig.4itisto be understood that other types ofmechanical transmissions may be employed in which the motion istransmitted from a lh'iving shaft to the distributor rotor throhgh aflexible wall or the like forming the sealing means to hermetically sealthe distributor rotor chamber from leakage so long as it is notnecessary to employ a rotary shaft seal.

While several preferred forms of the invention have been disclosed anddescribed, other variations and modifications thereof will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art as falling within the scope of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A distributor for use in an internal combustion engine ignitionsystem, including a housing forming a hermetically sealed distributorchamber, an input and output electrodes extending into said chamber, adistributor rotor rotatably mounted within said chamber for conductinghigh tension current from the input electrode successively to the outputelectrodes, a driving means external of said housing. and a shaftlesspower on means rotatably connecting the driving means to said rotor.

2. The structure as claimed in claiml, in which the said distributorchamber is filled with a gas which forms a neutral atmosphere within thechamber under operating conditions.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 1, in which the housing forming thedistributor rotor chamber is. constructed in separable portions adaptedto be assembled in gas tight sealed relation to form the hermeticallysealed rotor I chamber.

4. A distributor for use in an internal combustion engine ignitionsystem, including a housing forming a hermetically sealed chamber, aninput electrode and a plurality of output electrodes extending from saidchamber, a rotor freely rotatably mounted within said sealed chamber andadapted to conduct high tension current from the input electrodesuccessively to the output electrodes, a driving shaft external of saidsealed chamber and a magnetic coupling7.Adistributorforuseinan'internalcom-' bustion engine ignition system,including a casing forming a hermetically sealed chamber, an inputelectrode and a plurality of output electrodesextendingfromsaidchamber,adistributor rotor within said chamberand adapted to conduct high tension current from the input electrodesuccessively to each of the output electrodes, an electricalself-synchronous receiver mounted within said sealed chamber anddrivingly connected to the distributor rotor, a driving means externalof said sealed chamber and including a self-synchronous transmitterelectricalLv connected to said receiver by conductors p into said sealedchamber but sealed with respect thereto, whereby said distributor rotoris driven in synchronism with the driving means.

8. The structure as claimed in claim 7, in which the said sealed chamberis filled with a gas providing a neutral atmosphere therein underoperating conditions.

9. A distributor for use in an internal combustion engine ignitionsystem, including a housing forming a hermetically sealed distributorrotor chamber, an input electrode and a plurality of output electrodesextending from said chamber, a distributing rotor in said chamberadapted to conduct high tension current from the input electrodesuccessively to each of the output electrodes, a driven shaft rotatablymounted within said chamber and connected to said rotor to drive thesame, a crank on said driven shaft, a driving shaft external of saidhousing, a crank on said driving shaft, an inclined rod passing throughI the wall of said housing into said chamber and universally pivotallyconnected at each end thereof respectively to said cranks, a bearing forsupporting said inclined rod intermediate its ends for a limiteduniversal oscillation and flexible sealing means connected to said rodand to the wall of said housing to permit oscillation of said rod tothereby transmit drive from said driving shaft to said driven shaft butto prevent leakage from within the said chamber externally to theoutside atmosphere.

10. The structure as claimed in claim 9, in

. which the hermetically sealed distributor chamsaid chamber, saidelement being free to oscildrivingly connecting said driving shaftandsaid is driven in unison with said driving shaft.

5. The structure as claimed in claim 4, in

late but restrained against rotation about its own axis, a flexiblesealing element connected to said power transmitting element and to saidhousing to prevent leakage from said chamber to the outside atmosphere,and said power transmitting element being connected to said drivingmeans and to said distributor rotor to transmit rotation of said drivingmeans to said rotor.

12. A distributor for use in an internal combustion engine ignitionsystem, comprising a housing having an input and a plurality of outputelectrodes sealed therein and extending into a hermetically sealeddistributor chamber formed another magnetic coupling element rotatablypositioned exterior of said chamber and adapted to transmit a drivingtorque through the chamber walls to saidfirst named coupling element tothereby rotatably drive the distributor rotor, said chamber being filledwith a gas which maintains a neutral atmosphere therein under alloperating conditions of the distributor.

13. A distributor for use in an internal combustion engine ignitionsystem, comprising a housing having an input and a plurality of outputelectrodes sealed therein and extending into a hermetically sealeddistributor chamber formed by said housing, a high tension currentdistributing rotor' in said chamber, an electrical selfsynchronousrotary motion transmitting device including a receiver drivinglyconnected to said distributor rotor sealed chamber and a transmitterunitlocated external of said chamber and electrically connected to saidreceiver by conductors passing in sealed relation through the portion ofsaid housing forming the walls of said sealed chamber, and said sealedchamber containing a neutral gaseous atmosphere.

14-4 distributor for use in an internal combusand mounted wholly withinsaid tionvignition system, comprising a housing having an input and aplurality of output electrodes sealed therein and extending into ahermetically sealed distributor chamber formed by said housing, adistributor rotor mounted within said chamber and co-operating with saidelectrodes, a portion of the wall of said chamber being in the form ofan impervious flexible material capable of deflection in more than oneplane but restrained against rotation, a driving means external of saidchamber and means for mechanically transmitting rotation from saiddriving means to said distributor rotor at least in part through themedium of said flexible material, and said sealed chamber being filledwith a gas providing a neutral atmosphere therein.

15. In a high tension ignition distributor of the character described, ahousing forming a hermetically sealed distributor chamber, a distributorrotor freely rotatably mounted within said chamber, driving meansexternal of said chamber, and power transmitting coupling meansrotatably connecting said driving means coupling means being constructedsuch that torque may be transmitted through the walls or said chamberwithout the use of a connecting shaft rotatable about its own axis andthe use of a rotary shaft seal therefor.

- JOHN J.

withsaid distributor rotor, said power transmitting

